[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 129 (Monday, July 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36280-36281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17602]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5853-7]


Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory Committee 
Meetings; July 1997

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that several committees of the Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) will meet on the dates and times described below. All 
meetings are open to the public. Due to limited space, seating at 
meetings will be on a first-come, first-served basis. All time noted 
are Eastern Daylight Time. For further information concerning specific 
meetings, please contact the individuals listed below. Documents that 
are the subject of SAB reviews are normally available from the 
originating EPA office and are not available from the SAB Office.

1. Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual Review 
Subcommittee (MARSSIMRS) and the Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC)--
Public Teleconference Meeting

    The Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC) and its Multi-Agency 
Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) Review 
Subcommittee (MARSSIMRS) of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet 
via teleconference to complete its review (reach closure) and edit its 
draft report on the technical basis of the MARSSIM. The teleconference 
will be held from 11 am to 1 pm on Monday, July 21, 1997. Please see 62 
FR 28476, Friday, May 23, 1997; 61 FR 68743, Monday, December 30, 1996; 
and 61 FR 32796, Tuesday, June 25, 1996 for further information.
    Copies of the Agency document (Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and 
Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM)) are NOT available from the SAB, 
however, information concerning the availability of this document can 
be found in previous meeting notices concerning this review (see 
above). To discuss technical aspects of the Agency's draft Multi-Agency 
Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) or any 
supporting or background information, please contact Mr. Mark Doehnert, 
Radiation Protection Division (6603J), Office of Radiation and Indoor 
Air (ORIA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20460, tel. (202) 233-9386; Fax (202) 233-9650; or 
Email: Doehnert.M[email protected].
    Copies of the revised draft SAB report entitled ``An SAB Report: 
Review of the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation 
Manual (MARSSIM) by the Radiation Advisory Committee,'' will be 
available approximately two weeks prior to this teleconference (the 
week of July 9). Copies of the draft SAB report are available from Ms. 
Diana Pozun (see below). Members of the public who wish to participate 
in the teleconference or who wish make a brief oral presentation at 
this meeting must contact Mrs. Diana L. Pozun, Staff Secretary, in 
writing via fax (202) 260-7118 or Email: Pozun.D[email protected] no 
later than noon, Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 15, 1997, in order to 
have time reserved on the agenda. For a copy of the proposed 
teleconference agenda or the draft SAB report, please contact Ms. Pozun 
by phone (202-260-8432) or at the numbers given above. For questions 
regarding technical issues to be discussed, please contact Dr. K. Jack 
Kooyoomjian, Designated Federal Official, Science Advisory Board 
(1400), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington DC 20460, by telephone at 
(202) 260-2560, fax at (202) 260-7118, or Email: 
Kooyoomjian.J[email protected].

2. Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC)

    The Ecological Processes and Effects Committee of the Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on July 21-22, 1997, in Room 17 of the 
Washington Information Center (WIC) at the EPA Waterside Mall Complex, 
401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC. The meeting is open to the public, 
but seating will be limited and available on a first come, first served 
basis. The meeting will convene at 8:30 am on July 21, and at 8 am on 
July 22, and end no later than 5:30 pm on both days. The purpose of the 
meeting is to: (a) review the Agency's draft Ecological Research 
Strategy; and (b) conduct an advisory on the proposed development of 
ecological risk management guidelines.

Background

    (a) Draft Ecological Research Strategy: The Agency has developed a 
draft Ecological Research Strategy to guide future ecological research 
philosophy, direction and priorities at EPA. Funding for research 
covered by the strategy totals approximately $72 million and staff 
resources of 372 full-time equivalents in Fiscal Year 1997. The Charge 
to the SAB, in addition to requesting detailed comments on specific 
aspects of the strategy, asks for comments on the following broad 
areas: (1) the consistency of the concepts and terminology with the 
ecological risk paradigm; (2) the consistency of the research strategy 
and elements with the goals and objectives; (3) the appropriateness of 
the direction of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) portion 
of the research, considering the unique capabilities of the 
organization; (4) the appropriateness of the research areas and other 
that might be considered in lieu of, or in addition to, those 
identified; (5) the clarity of ORD's focus and the rationale behind the 
program direction and out-year emphasis; and (6) the utility of 
maintaining a core research focus as a planning and research 
implementation foundation.
    (b) Development of Ecological Risk Management Guidelines: the 
Agency has asked the SAB to for advice on the issues and endpoints that 
should be included in future guidance on ecological risk management. 
The Committee has been asked to consider a

[[Page 36281]]

draft document, Priorities for Ecological Protection: An Initial List 
and Discussion Document for EPA, prepared by the EPA National Center 
for Environmental Assessment to determine whether it covers the 
important ecological risk management issues pertinent to the planning 
and problem formulation stages of ecological risk assessment.
    For Further Information--Any member of the public wishing to obtain 
copies of the materials provided to the SAB for the meeting should 
contact the individuals listed below (Review documents are NOT 
available from the SAB office): (a) draft Ecological Research 
Strategy--contact Ms. Marlene Alder, Executive Assistant, EPA National 
Exposure Research Laboratory, MD-75, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, 
telephone (919) 541-5031; (b) Priorities for Ecological Protection: An 
Initial List and Discussion Document for EPA--contact Ms. Anne Barton, 
EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, at (202) 
260-9280 or Email: Barton.A[email protected].
    For a copy of the draft meeting agenda, please contact Ms. Wanda R. 
Fields, Secretary for EPEC, at (202) 260-8414, Fax at (202) 260-7118, 
or Email: Fields.W[email protected]. Any member of the public 
wishing to submit brief oral comments to the Committee must contact 
Stephanie Sanzone, Designated Federal Official for EPEC, in writing, no 
later than 4:00 pm Eastern Time on July 16, 1997 at Science Advisory 
Board (1400), U.S. EPA, Washington, DC 20460, tel. (202) 260-6557; fax 
(202) 260-7118; or Email: Sanzone.S[email protected]. Written 
comments in any length may be provided to Ms. Sanzone any time up 
through the meeting at the above address. See below for details on 
providing comments to the SAB.

3. Executive Committee

    The Executive Committee (EC) of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) 
will conduct a public meeting on Wednesday, July 23, 1997 and Thursday, 
July 24, 1997. The meeting will convene each day at 8:30 am in the 
Administrator's Conference Room 1103 West Tower of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters Building, 401 M Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20460, and will adjourn no later than 5:30 pm on 
each day (Eastern Daylight Time). The meeting is open to the public, 
however seating is limited and available on a first-come basis.
    At this meeting, the Executive Committee will receive updates from 
its committees and subcommittees concerning their recent and planned 
activities. As part of these updates, some committees expect to present 
draft reports for Executive Committee review and approval. There is a 
possibility that all the expected drafts may not be presented. Expected 
drafts include:
    (a) Drinking Water Committee--(1) Review of the Agency report: An 
Evaluation of the Statistical Performance of a Method for Monitoring 
Protozoan Cysts in US Source Waters.
    (b) Environmental Engineering Committee--(1) Review of the National 
Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL); (2) Review of the Sector 
Facility Indexing Project; and (3) Review of the Proposed National 
Guidance on Field Filtration of Ground Water Samples.
    (c) Environmental Health Committee--(1) Review of the Cancer Risk 
Assessment Guidelines; and (2) Review of the Mercury Report to 
Congress.
    (d) Environmental Processes and Effects Committee--(1) Advisory on 
the Problem Formulation Phase of EPA's Watershed Ecological Risk 
Assessment Case Studies; and (2) Evaluation of Superfund Ecotox 
Threshold Benchmark Values for Water and Sediment.
    (e) Executive Committee--(1) Review of the ad hoc Subcommittee on 
Environmental Goals; and (2) Review of the ad hoc Subcommittee on the 
Agency's 1996 Scientific and Technological Achievement Awards (STAA).
    Among a number of other items, the EC currently plans to:
    (a) Discuss the plans for completing the Integrated Risk Project.
    (b) Discuss the respective roles of the SAB and the ORD Board of 
Scientific Counselors (BOSC).
    (c) Discuss the recent National Research Council report on Research 
Opportunities and Priorities for the Environment (ROPE).
    (d) Meet with Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen to discuss matters 
of mutual interest.
    (e) Discuss recent Agency actions to improvement the functioning of 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) groups, such as the SAB.
    (f) Discuss various administrative issues, such as the development 
of ``Expectations'' and the progress of SAB membership selection.
    (g) Discuss plans for a fall retreat in which to examine strategic 
options for the Science Advisory Board over the next few years.
    (h) Conduct another session of the Lookout Panel on the afternoon 
of the second day, focusing on freshwater aquatic ecological issues.
    For Further Information--Members of the public desiring additional 
information concerning the meeting or who wish to submit oral comment 
must contact Dr. Donald G. Barnes, Designated Federal Official for the 
Executive Committee, Science Advisory Board (1400), U.S. EPA, 401 M 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-4126; fax (202) 
260-9232; or Email: Barnes.D[email protected]. Requests to make oral 
comments must be submitted to Dr. Barnes in writing, no later than 4 
pm, July 16, 1997. Copies of the draft meeting agenda and available 
draft reports listed above can be obtained from Ms. Priscilla Tillery-
Gadson on (202) 260-8414; fax (202) 260-7118; or Email: 
Tillery.P[email protected].
    Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings--The Science 
Advisory Board expects that public statements presented at its meetings 
will not be repetitive of previously submitted oral or written 
statements. In general, each individual or group making an oral 
presentation will be limited to a total time of ten minutes. For 
conference call meetings, opportunities for oral comment will be 
limited to no more than five minutes per speaker and no more than 
fifteen minutes total. Written comments (at least 35 copies) received 
in the SAB Staff Office sufficiently prior to a meeting date, may be 
mailed to the relevant SAB committee or subcommittee prior to its 
meeting; comments received too close to the meeting date will normally 
be provided to the committee at its meeting. Written comments may be 
provided to the relevant committee or subcommittee up until the time of 
the meeting.
    Information concerning the Science Advisory Board, its structure, 
function, and composition, may be found in The FY1996 Annual Report of 
the Staff Director which is available from the SAB Committee Evaluation 
and Support Staff (CESS) by contacting US EPA, Science Advisory Board 
(1400), Attention: CESS, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460 or via 
fax (202) 260-1889. Additional information concerning the SAB can be 
found on the SAB Home Page at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

    Dated: June 25, 1997.
Donald G. Barnes,
Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 97-17602 Filed 7-3-97; 8:45 am]
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